This spring anime season is filled with many characters rapping to express their feelings, finding an easier method of communication or having epic rap battles with things they want to risk.
Because of this trend, anime otaku call this season “anime rap season”. But where did this trend start?
Aharen and Raido’s next match is a rap battle
In episode 4 of Aharen-san wa hakarenai, Raido has Aharen listen to a rap CD and the next day she starts rapping on him. Raido decides that rap can be a good way to communicate with Aharen, but their communication turns into a freestyle rap battle. The winner of their rap battle was unclear and ended in a draw.
Kabe realizes he needs rap to express his true desires
In Ya Boy Kongming Episode 6, Kongming tries to get Kabetaijin to work with Eiko so that they can become a singing duo. Kongming invites Kabe to the BB Lounge, has Eiko sing a nostalgic song that means a lot to Kabe, uses his Chinese medicine magic to heal Kabe’s ulcer, then challenges Kabe to a rap battle.
Kongming manages to get Kabe back on stage (Kabe overcomes his phobia at this point) and inspires him to return to the rap scene by rapping an ancient Chinese poem. Kabetaijin wins their rap battle, but feels like Kongming deserved the win because of his slip at the end.
Fujiwara is the real MVP for making Shirogane a decent rapper
In Kaguya-sama: Love is War Episode 5, the story revolves around how Herthaka, when forced to listen to Shirogane’s terrible rapping, passed out, and when he went to the toilet, she escaped. Therefore, Shirogane goes to Fujiwara and enlists her help to make him a better rapper.
First, Fujiwara needs to get better at rapping herself and studying hard. After feeling confident enough in her rapping skills, she moves on to help train Shirogane. This is no easy task and the two work hard to get Shirogane to “rap properly”.
The day Shirogane was supposed to meet Herthaka after school and express his feelings to her, Kaguya sneaks up behind them. Kaguya, Fujiwara and Herthaka are all present as Shirogane raps his feelings to Herthaka while Fujiwara acts as the MC and asks her what her true desires are.
However, before Herthaka has a chance to respond, Kaguya breaks in with the beating of her own feelings, surprising everyone present. A freestyle rap battle begins when Herthaka can finally express her true feelings in rap about how she’s tired of taking care of Kaguya all the time and doing all these strange tasks for her. It is a clear victory for Herthaka.
The episode didn’t end the rapping there, a new ending for Kaguya-sama: Love is war was revealed and all the characters are rapping and hip-hop dancing in it! Shirogane and Ishigami take the stage and start rapping first, with Fujiwara and Ino following shortly after. Another freestyle rap battle follows. Who won That Rap match? I guess that’s up to you, my fellow otaku.
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